Combination flashlight and key holder



y 0, 1963 H. KIBBY 3,099,399

COMBINATION FLASHLIGHT AND KEY HOLDER Filed July 51, 1962 4? Z g ow/ 0fiaey United States Patent 3,099,399 COMBINATION FLASHLIGHT AND KEYHOLDER Howard Kibby, Box 943, la], N. Mex. Filed July 31, 1962, Ser. No.213,658 3 Claims. (Cl. 240-64) The present invention relates to acombination flashlight and key holder of the type employing a pin-lightdry cell battery.

An object of the present invention is to provide a combinationflashlight and key holder which is of small size, one which enables theuser thereof to illuminate a key hole for the insertion thereinto of akey, and one which has special means for deactivating the flashlightwhen the key is in the key hole.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combinationflashlight and key holder in which the casing is of a sturdyconstruction, the flashlight and key holder being of simple structurereadily manufactured on plastic extruding machines or casting machines,one which is economical to manufacture and assemble, and one which ishighly eflective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to a person skilled in the art from the following descriptionwhen taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view partially in section showing thecombination key holder and flashlight of the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a View taken on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 1,

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of the device of the present inventionshown in a condition of use with the key inserted in a key hole,

FIGURE 5 shows the device of the present invention in elevation andpartially broken away with the casing of the device shifted to a lightoil position with the key in the key hole,

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line 66 of FIG- URE 5,

FIGURE 7 is an exploded view on an enlarged scale, of the means forattaching the slide element and the key to the stud of the device, theslide element being shown in full lines in a position prior to insertionupon the stud and in dotted lines in position on the stud,

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on the line 88 of FIG- URE 7, and

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the slide element removed from the stud.

Referring in detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate likeparts, the flashlight and key holder of the present invention comprisesa casing 10 preferably fabricated of a molded or extruded plasticmaterial or the like.

Arranged longitudinally within the casing 10 is a flashlight battery 12,the exterior surface of the battery 12 constituting the shell terminalof the battery. The battery 12 has on one end an end terminal 14, thebattery 12 being of conventional construction. Mounted in and projectingfrom one end of the casing 10 is a flashlight bulb 16 the shell of whichconstitutes one contact. The bulb 16 has an end contact 18 in contactwith the battery end terminal 14, in the conventional manner.

A screw plug 20 in the other end of the casing 10 permits the insertiontherethrough of the battery 12 when it has to be replaced. A spring 22within the screw plug 20 forces the battery 12 against the contact 18 ofthe bulb 16.

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As shown in FIGURE 1 the casing 10 is provided with opposed slots 24 and26 and the exterior of the casing is formed to have a trackway 28contiguous to the slot 24 and another trackway 30 contiguous to the slot26.

Means is provided for supporting a key for movement into and out of eachof the trackways 28 and 30 and as such means is the same for each of thetrackways, it will be described with reference to the trackway 28 on theuppermost side of the casing 10 in FIGURE 1.

The trackway 28 extends from one end of the casing, as at 32 in FIGURE 1to a point spaced inwardly from the other end 34 in which the bulb 16 isanchored.

The slot 24 extends beyond the end of the trackway 28 remote from thecasing end 32 and provides room for the turning of a key 36 when free ofthe trackway 28.

The novelty of the present invention resides in the provision of a stud38 slidable and rotatable in the trackway 24. One end portion of thestud 38 is within the casing 10 and the other end portion of the stud 38is exteriorly of the casing 10.

As shown in detail in FIGURES 7 to 9, the stud has -a portion 40 withinthe casing 10 square in cross-sectional configuration so as to fitwithin a square aperture 42 provided in the slide element 44.

After the slide element 44 has been inserted upon the stud portion 40,the portion 40 is peened over as shown in FIGURE 1.

A midpart of the stud 38 is enlarged to provide a shoulder, as at 46against which the key 36 bears with the key 36 being held in place bymeans of a washer 48 and a nut 50 threadably engaged upon the threadedend portion 52 of the stud 38 which is exteriorly of the casing 10. i Itwill be seen therefore when the nut 50 is tightened down upon the washer48, the key 36 will be held against the shoulder 46 so that it willrotate with the stud 38 and also will slide with the stud 38 into andout of the associated trackway 28.

The slide element 44 is secured by its lid part to the stud 38 and theend portions of the slide element 44, as at 54 and 56 are curved so asto provide sliding contacts to engage, as shown in FIGURE 1, the shellcontact of the bulb 16 and the shell terminal of the battery 12 at 58and 60, respectively. When the slide element 44 is in this position thebulb 16 is energized by the battery 12. The slide element 44 associatedwith the trackway 30, in FIGURE 1, is shown withdrawn to the position inwhich both of its end portions are engaging the shell of the battery 12,in which condition the battery 12 is disconnected from the bulb 16.

An important feature resides in the provision of the rotatable stud 38which permits shifting of the key 36 -a quarter turn relative to thecasing 10 as in FIGURES 5 and 6. When in this condition, the key 36effects the rotation of the slide element 44 from a positionlongitudinally of the casing 10 to a position transversely of the casing10 as shown most clearly in FIGURE 5.

In this latter position the bulb 16 is not energized and the battery 12is saved from unnecessary discharge.

In use, the combination flashlight and key holder of the presentinvention may be employed to carry at least two keys and to project oneor the other key 36 from the end adjacent the bulb 16 which movementenergizes the bulb 16 and illuminates a key hole in a lock such as isdesignated by the numeral 62 in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6.

After insertion of the key 36 into the lock 62 the casing 10 may beswung to the vertical position of FIGURE 5 which rotates the casing 10relative to the slide element 44 and cuts 011 the current to the bulb16.

While only a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown anddescribed other embodiments are contemplated and numerous modificationsand changes 3 may be made therein without departing from the spiritthereof as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination flashlight and key holder including a casing, aflashlight battery within said casing, said battery having a shellterminal and an end terminal, and a bulb mounted in one end of saidcasing, said bulb having an end contact electrically in circuit withsaid battery end terminal, there being a slot in said casing, theimprovement consisting in the provision of a stud mounted in said slotfor sliding movement therealong and for rotary movement relative to saidcasing when in the projected position, a slide element within saidcasing and having a midpart fixedly secured to said stud for sliding androtary movement with said stud, and means operatively connected to theportion of said stud exteriorly of said casing for securement thereto ofa key for sliding and rotary movement with said stud, said slide elementhaving the portions adjacent the ends thereof engaging said batteryshel-l terminal when said stud is in the retracted position, and saidslide element having one end portion engaging said shell terminal andthe other end portion engaging said bulb shell contact when said stud isin the projected position, said slide element when said stud is in theprojected position and rotated a quarter turn having said end portionsout of engagement with both said shell contact and said shell terminal.

2. In a combination flashlight and key holder including a casing, aflashlight battery within said casing, said battery having a shellterminal and an end terminal, a bulb mounted in one end of said casing,said bulb having an end contact electrically in circuit with saidbattery end terminal, there being a slot in said casing, and a trackwayon the exterior surface of said casing contiguous to the portion of saidslot adjacent one end of said slot, the improvement consisting in theprovision of a stud mounted in said slot for sliding movement therealongand for rotary movement relative to said casing when in the projectedposition, said stud having a portion adjacent one end within said casingand a portion adjacent the other end exten'orly of said casing, a slideelement within said casing and having a midpart-fixedly secured to saidstud for sliding and rotary movement with said stud, and meansoperatively connected to the portion of said stud exteriorly of'saidcasing for securement thereto of a key for sliding and rotarymovement with said stud,

said key when said stud is in the retracted position being within saidtrackway, said slide element having one end portion engaging said shellterminal and the other end portion engaging said bulb shell contact whensaid stud is in the projected position, said slide element when saidstud is in the projected position and rotated a quarter turn having saidend portions out of engagement with both said shell contact and saidshell terminal.

3. In a combination flashlight and key holder including a casing, aflashlight battery within said casing, said battery having a shellterminal and an end terminal, a bulb mounted in one end of said casing,said bulb having an end contact electrically in circuit with saidbattery end terminal, there being a slot in said casing, and a trackwayon the exterior surface of said casing contiguous to the portion of saidslot adjacent one end of said slot, the improvement consisting in theprovision of a stud mounted in said slot for sliding movement therealongand for rotary movement relative to said casing when in the projectedposition, said stud having a portion adjacent one end within said casingand a portion adjacent the other end exteriorly of said casing, a slideelement within said casing and having a midpart fixedly secured to saidstud for sliding and rotary movement with said stud, means operativelyconnected to the portion of said stud exteriorly of said casing forsecurement thereto of a key for sliding and rotary movement with saidstud, said key when said stud is in the retracted position being withinsaid trackway, and means on the portion of said stud exteriorly of saidcasing adapted to be gripped by the fingers of the hand of a user forshifting said stud along said slot and for rotating said stud, saidslide element having one end portion engaging said shell terminal andthe other end portion engaging said bulb shell contact when said stud isin the projected position, said slide element when said stud is in theprojected position and rotated a quarter turn having said end portionsout of engagement with both said shell contact and said shell terminal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,393,373 Hendrix I an. 22, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,358 Great BritainJuly 27, 1939 530,249 Great Britain Dec. 9', 1940

1. IN A COMBINATION FLASHLIGHT AND KEY HOLDER INCLUDING A CASING, AFLASHLIGHT BATTERY WITHIN SAID CASING, SAID BATTERY HAVING A SHELLTERMINAL AND AN END TERMINAL, AND A BULB MOUNTED IN ONE END OF SAIDCASING, SAID BULB HAVING AN END CONTACT ELECTRICALLY IN CIRCUIT WITHSAID BATTERY END TERMINAL, THERE BEING A SLOT IN SAID CASING, THEIMPROVEMENT CONSISTING IN THE PROVISION OF A STUD MOUNTED IN SAID SLOTFOR SLIDING MOVEMENT THEREALONG AND FOR ROTARY MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAIDCASING WHEN IN THE PROJECTED POSITION, A SLIDE ELEMENT WITHIN SAIDCASING AND HAVING A MIDPART FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID STUD FOR SLIDING ANDROTARY MOVEMENT WITH SAID STUD, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THEPORTION OF SAID STUD EXTERIORLY OF SAID CASING FOR SECUREMENT THERETO OFA KEY FOR SLIDING AND ROTARY MOVEMENT WITH SAID STUD, SAID SLIDE ELEMENTHAVING THE PORTIONS ADJACENT THE ENDS THEREOF ENGAGING SAID BATTERYSHELL TERMINAL WHEN SAID STUD IS IN THE RETRACTED POSITION, AND SAIDSLIDE ELEMENT HAVING ONE END PORTION ENGAGING SAID SHELL TERMINAL ANDTHE OTHER END PORTION ENGAGING SAID BULB SHELL CONTACT WHEN SAID STUD ININ THE PROJECTED POSITION, SAID SLIDE ELEMENT WHEN SAID STUD IS IN THEPROJECTED POSITION AND ROTATED A QUARTER TURN HAVING SAID END PORTIONSOUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH BOTH SAID SHELL CONTACT AND SAID SHELL TERMINAL.